Improvements in taping machine conveyor and cutter head synchronizing mechanism



Jan. 10. 1956 A. A. WAGNER ET AL 2,730,258

IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPING MACHINE CONVEYOR AND CUTTER HEAD SYNCHRONIZINGMECHANISM Filed Dec. 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l fianmlml N V EN TORJ 4.251

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fl an Jan. 10. 1956 A. A. WAGNER ETAL IMPROVEMENTS I AND CUTTER HEA 12,1951 N TAPING MACHINE CONVEYOR D SYNCHRONIZING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Dec.

IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPING MACHINE CON- VEYOR AND CUTTER HEAD SYN CHRONIZ-ING MECHANISM Adolph A. Wagner, Milwaukee, and Arnold J. Werner, ElmGrove, Wis.

Application December 12, 1951, Serial No. 261,211 1 Claim. 01. 21622)This invention relates to improvements in taping machine conveyor andcutter head synchronizing mechanism.

Copending application of Adolph A. Wagner, Arnold J. Werner, and WilliamR. Ross, Serial No. 154,782, filed April 8, 1950, now Patent No.2,653,727, granted September 29, 1953, discloses a taping machinewherein a carton advancing conveyor moves in timed relationship with themovement of a reciprocatably mounted cutter head. In the machinedisclosed in the application referred to, the actuating mechanism forthe cutter head is chain driven from the same shaft as the conveyor. Inorder to change the timed relationship between the operation of the allof its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claim and allequivalents thereo 3 parts in all of the'viewsz' I Fig. l is afragmentary side elevational view of the improved taping machine, partsbeing broken away;

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view takenapproximately along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view taken approximately along the line3-3 of Fig. 2 and on a larger scale; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately along the line44 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings,

I the improved taping machine has a pair of substantially conveyor andthat of the cutter head, it is necessary to disconnect the drive chainfor the cutter head actuating mechanism and to move said chain one ormore teeth on one of its sprockets. This method of timing adjustment hasthe disadvantage of requiring that the chain be disconnected,

and also, it has no provision for making fine adjustments.

With the above in mind it isa general object of the present invention toprovide an improved taping machine or the like having a carton advancingconveyor and a reciprocatable cutter head which operate in predeterminedtimed relationship, with means for readily and infinitely varying thetimed relationship between the movement of the conveyor and that of thecutter head assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tapingmachine or the like of the class described wherein the conveyor and thecutter head assembly are positively driven by a common drive shaft,there being an adjustable sprocket in the drive for the cutterheadassembly permitting variation in the timed relationship between themovement of the cutter head and that of the conveyor without requiringdisconnection of the chain.

A further object of the invention is to provide animproved sprocket foruse in taping machines or the like, said sprocket being adapted -to bereleasably fixed to a said machine being provided i as well as aroundother suitable idler shaft in a selected position of rotation, releaseof said :1

sprocket permitting rotation thereof to another selected position ofrotation relative to said shaft. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an im proved sprocket ofthe class described having a hub which is adapted to be rotatablyadjustably fixed to a shaft, and having a ring gear coaxial with androtatablyadjustably fixed to said hub to provide a two-way adjusTment ofthe position of said gear relative to the shaft.

A further object of the invention improved sprocket of the classdescribed which may be easily installed on machines presently in use aswell as on new machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sprocket ofthe class described which is strong and durable, which is relativelyeasy to manufacture, and which is otherwise well adapted for thepurposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved taping machine or the like and identical spaced parallel sideframes 10, each of which may be provided with a pair of supporting legs11. While Fixed to the inner surface of the side frame 10 is alongitudinally extending horizontal channel member 12 on the uppersurface of which is mounted a rail 13. A carrier. assembly 14 is mountedfor slidable longitudinal reciprocatable movement on the rails 13, and acutter head 15 having a transversely extending blade 15 is mounted forvertical reciprocating sprocket 20. A pair of sprockets 21 are fixed tothe shaft 19 on opposite sides of the plate 16, and endless chains 22extend around the sprockets 21 as shown. The chains 22, along withequally spaced transversely extending flight bars 23 connecting saidchains, form an endless fiightconveyor, the upper stretch of which isspaced above and extends parallel with the plate 16. The chains 22 alsoextend around a pair of idler sprockets 24 and 25, sprockets (notshown).

The sprocket 20 is connected by an endless chain 26 with the drivingsprocket-27 of a source of power 28 which may take the form of anelectric motor 29 provided with a speed reduction unit 30. The motor 29is mounted on a platform '31 which is supported at each side by a pairof spaced vertically extending legs 32, which in turn are connected tothe inner surface of the side frames 10 as shown.

Pivotally connected at one end to a side frame 10 is a lever arm 33having its opposite end pivotally connected to one end of a link 34. Theopposite end of the link 34 is pivotally connected to the verticallyreciprocable cutter head assembly-15. A cam roller 35 is mounted on andprojects laterally from an intermediate portion of the lever arm 33.

A pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending shafts 36 and 37are mounted in suitable bearings in the the carrierl t and projects'into'the groove 41, said groove being formed in a manner to produce apredetermined longitudinal reciprocation of the carrier 14 in responseto rotation of the cam 49. .A circular cam 43 is keyed ontothe shaft36otltwa'rdly ofithe rain j10, na is "formed on its inner surface with acam groove 44. The cam roller 35 onthe lever 33'projectsinto the groove44, and the Conformation of said gr ove is such that'a prede ennineavertical reciprocation of the cutter head fisseinblYlS is produced inresponse to rotationof the eat 43. H 7 A sprocket 45 is keyed onto theshaft 36 inwardly of the frame 10. A sprocket '46 isjnoi'ii 'ally'iiii'ed on the shaft 19 c planar with thesproeitet 45,:and an endlesschain 147 connects the sprockets 46 and '45 and may also extend around atension'irl'gidler sprocke 48 'as shown.

The s rocket 46 includes a hub '49 which is preferably formed of ap'aiiof substantially identical shells 50 and 51. The shells "50 'a'nd'5'1arefoi'ined complementary send-cylindrical grooves 52 re receiving theshaft 19, andisaid shells are also preferably formed with diametricallyoppositely prejeeting flanges '53 and '54 re pectively, The 'fian'ge's53 and 54 are normally in spaced parallel relationship. The flanges 54are apertured to receive screws '55 which p'i'oj'ect therethrough andare threaded into the flange '53. i

The'shell's 50 and stare formed at Jone end with complementary radiallyprejecting semi-circular flanges 56 and '57. Each has an end portion ofreduced diameter 58 to provide-a semi-annular shoulder '9:(see'1?ig. 4).An annular ring gear eisprocket 6t), having an internal diametersubstantially equal-to the diameter of the flange portions 58, ispositioned on said portions in abutment with the semi-annular shoulders59. The axial thickness of the ring gear 60'is slightlygreate'r than theaxial thickness of the portions '58 of ireduced diameter, so that thering gear '6'0.projec'ts axially beyond the end of the iportions 58. i Ia v A clamping member 61, which may takethe form of a centrallyapertured circular plate, is positioned in coaxial abutment withthcprojecting end portion of the ring gear 60. The plate 61 is formed withapertures to receive cap screws 62 which, in turn, are threaded intothe-flanges 56 and 57 .as shown Figs. 3 and 4. The screws 55 are adaptedto releasably clamp the hub 49 to the shaft 19 in a selected position ofrotation relative thereto, and the screws 62, through .the clampingplate 61, are adapted to releasa'bly clamp the ring'gear 60 'in aselected position of rotation relative to the hub 59.

In the operation of the improved tapingmachine, the source of .power 28,through the chain 26, drives the shaft 19 in the direction indicated inFig. l to thereby move the conveyor '22 in the 5 direction indicated.Through the chains 47 and 39 theshafts 36and 2:7 and cams 43 and 40 arerotated in the dir'ectionindieated. The conveyor :22 is adaptedto movecartons 63 along the plate 16, and thecutter head is adaptedto .besuccessively positioned in and withdrawn from the successive spacesbetween adjacent moving cartons by-the-acti'onof the cams 43 and 40.

Satisfactory operation of the mechanism require sa-high degree ofsynchrony between the movement of the cutter head 15 (both verticallyand longitudinally) and the movement of the conveyor 22. The timedrelationship between the movement of. he cutter head 15 and thatof theconveyor 22 can be readily varied by adjusting-the shaft 19;

position of rotation of the ring gear 60 relative to the Thiscan-beaccomplished in two ways.

The screws 55 may be loosened to permit rotation of the entire sprocket46 on the shaft 19 to the desired new position, after which the screws55 are tightened to clamp the sprocket to the shaft in said position.Alternatively, the screws 62 may be loosened to permit rotation of thering gear 60 on the hub 49 to a selected new position, after which thescrews '62 are again tightened to fixedly clamp the gear 60 to the hub49. The adjustments provided by the sprocket 46 permit highly accuratetiming of the movement of the cutterhead -15 with respect to that of theconveyor 22, and the construction of the sprocket 46 is such asto'pe'rmit such adjustment to be easily and quickly accomplished withoutthe requirement of disconnection of any of the chains.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom thespirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as maycome within the scope of'the claim. I

Whatts claimed as the invention is:

In a carton taping machine including a horizontally movable conveyor tocontinuously advance spaced, aligned cartons, andhavin means forapplying tape to the tops and ends of said cartons 'as they are spacedlymbye'dthro'ugh the machine, a horizontally reciprocatabl'e cutter headcarrier, and a cutter head vertically, reciprocatably mounted on saidcarrier; a drive shaft having thereon n'or'm'ally fixed first and secondsprockets, an endless chain engaged-by the first sprocket for drivingthe conveyor "at "a constant speed, means for horizontallyrecigroeatingthe cutter he'ad carrier, other means for vertic'allyreciprocating the cutter head, and an endless chain engagedby the secondsprocket and extending to the 'carrier reciprocating mean and cutterhead reciprocating means, said second sprocketincluding a hub formedwith a central bo're receiving said drive shaft, said hub being splitaxially into two complementary shells, a screw extendii'ig throughonefof said shells and threaded into the other shell for drawing theshells together about said shaft to cause said "shells tofixedly clampsaid shaft in s'aidhub'bor'e in asfelectedhx'ed position of rotationrelative to said shaft, s'aid'hub being rotatable relative 'to saidshaft upon release of said screw, the hub having a pluunity of coplanarradially projecting teeth engaged by said endless chain, the selectiverotation "of said hub on its shaft providing for selective variation inthe timed relat-ionshipto'f movements between the cutter head carrierand cutterhead and the conveyor to insure reciprocating movements of thecutter head into and out of spaces between pairs of advancing cartons.

inferences Cited in the tilt: of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

